DNR chief's decision on U.P. mine due next week

LANSING -- A company that wants to operate a nickel and copper mine in the Upper Peninsula may soon get a final answer from a state agency.

Department of Natural Resources Director Rebecca Humphries is expected to announce Feb. 7 whether she will approve Kennecott Minerals Co.'s plan for the mine in western Marquette County.

The DNR is considering whether to lease public land for the mine's aboveground operations and whether its plans meet state standards.

After Humphries postponed a decision last month, the company has provided more information and made some changes. DNR staffers are recommending approval. The Department of Environmental Quality has already granted permits for the mine. Opponents have filed a lawsuit to block them.